Today’s installment of campaign-related news items from across the country.
* In a bit of a surprise, the latest Fox News poll out of Alabama shows Doug Jones (D) leading Roy Moore (R) in their upcoming Senate special election, 50% to 42%.
* The same poll also found Barack Obama with a higher favorability rating in Alabama than Donald Trump, which suggests the poll is suspect, or the winds of change are blowing in a direction Republicans aren’t going to like.
* Though he was under considerable party pressure to run for the Senate next year, Rep. Fred Upton (R) has instead decided to run for re-election in his Michigan district in 2018. The GOP has not yet fielded a top-tier challenger to take on Sen. Debbie Stabenow (D).
* Speaking of Midwestern Senate races, Rep. Luke Messer (R) is considered a top-tier candidate who hopes to take on Sen. Joe Donnelly (D) in Indiana next year, but the Associated Press reports that the congressman’s only address in the Hoosier state is his mom’s house. [Update: I spoke to a Messer aide, who said the congressman has co-owned the house with his mother for many years.] * In October, the DCCC’s fundraising for the 2018 cycle outpaced the NRCC’s fundraising, $7.7 million to $4.5 million. It’s the sixth month in a row the DCCC has enjoyed this advantage, which is unusual given the fact that Republicans have the House majority. * And Hillary Clinton had an interesting interview with Mother Jones this week, in which she further questioned the legitimacy of Donald Trump’s 2016 election, stressing that “there are lots of questions” about Russian interference and widespread voter suppression efforts.
Steve Benen is a producer for "The Rachel Maddow Show," the editor of MaddowBlog and an MS NOW political contributor. He's also the bestselling author of "Ministry of Truth: Democracy, Reality, and the Republicans' War on the Recent Past." Recommended
